The Power of Two: Linking External with Internal Teachers' Professional Development

Abstract

When teachers strengthen their content and pedagogical knowledge by participating in professional networks outside of their schools and then share that knowledge in the context of team meetings within their schools, the impact of professional development is doubled. But, the authors emphasize, the support of school administrators is crucial. NEW EVIDENCE suggests that two emerging approaches to professional development, when systematically linked, can provide the transformative power to alter professional development and teacher learning in profound and sustainable ways. These two promising approaches are 1) external teacher professional networks that focus predominantly on enhancing teachers' pedagogical knowledge and collaborative and leadership skills in a content area and 2) internal school reform networks and projects that focus primarily on developing in-school facilitated structures for change and forums for teacher dialogue, such as grade-level, departmental, or interdisciplinary teams. In the external networks, teachers come together across schools and regions in professional learning communities. By contrast, the crux of the work of school reform networks is developing internal learning communities. The internal forums for collaboration offer the opportunity for teachers to share expertise developed externally with colleagues in their schools. External Teacher Networks As a result of the call for reforms that can transform teaching, teacher networks have become more important since the early 1990s. These reforms aim to change teaching from the mere transmission of knowledge to the facilitation of student inquiry; from testing students about factual information to continuously assessing their understanding; from treating all students alike to varying teaching strategies according to the needs of diverse populations.1 Many professional teacher networks focus on particular content areas, as is the case with several we describe here: Project PRIME for mathematics teachers, the California Science Project for science teachers, and Lucy Calkins' Writers' Workshop for teachers of writing skills in all subjects. These networks are defined by voluntary, reciprocal interactions among teachers . . . that enable teachers to share or acquire the professional expertise that strengthens service to students.2 Successful teacher networks build strong professional communities and provide opportunities for teachers to develop: * deeper subject-matter knowledge; * greater pedagogical expertise; * a collaborative culture, in contrast to the historical culture of isolation; * the skill of examining their own practice in a safe and supportive context; * links with other professionals in a given subject area and in education in general; and * strategies for organizational change, including preparation for assuming leadership roles. Important as these external learning opportunities are, for professional development to affect practice in schools, it must also address teachers' learning and practice inside the school.3 Linking teachers' experiences in these beyond-the-school networks with in- school structures can double the beneficial effects of each. Internal Reform Networks Grade-level or departmental meetings have been standard features of the educational landscape for many years, but they are rarely perceived as primary forums for professional development. In the last decade there has been growing interest in making better use of these teacher meetings as vehicles for professional investigation and curriculum work, rather than merely as ways of handling managerial and logistical issues. Including professional development within the school day and making use of the existing team structures of the schools is central to the work of school reform networks. Using existing teams can provide an organized and collegial structure in which teachers can explore new ideas, review research, try out new instructional practices in their classrooms, and discuss their experiences with colleagues. …